The United Pentecostal ChurchJudicial ProcedureNotice of Trial

ARTICLE VII

NOTICE OF TRIAL

Section 1. When the District Board refers the accused minister to the regional pre­siding officer for trial, the regional presiding officer shall designate the place, date, and time for the trial. The date for the trial shall be set not less than thirty (30) days and not more than ninety (90) days from the date the accused is referred for trial. With the approval of the General Superintendent, the regional presiding officer may extend the time of ninety (90) days in the event of interruptions such as illness, dis­ability, or other valid reasons.

Section 2. Within fifteen (15) days after the District Board refers the minister to a trial, the regional presiding officer shall summon to trial the accused minister by offi­cial notice and send a copy of the charge against him or her.

The summons shall give the place, date, and time of the trial. The regional presiding officer shall send a copy of the summons to the District Superintendent. In case of postponement, the regional presiding officer can make an exception to the time of notice with the approval of the General Superintendent.

Section 3. The accused minister has fifteen (15) days after receipt of the summons to trial to state whether or not he or she will appear at the trial. If the accused minis­ter does not respond to the summons or states that he or she will not appear at the trial, he or she shall forfeit his or her license or credentials without right of appeal.

Section 4. If the accused minister does not respond to the summons or states that he or she will not appear at the trial, the regional presiding officer shall recommend to the credentials committee that the accused minister be dropped.

Section 5. Should the accused minister receiving a summons to trial be unable to appear at the trial because of illness, disability, or any other legitimate reason, he or she must notify the presiding regional officer in writing, stating his or her reason. Such notice must be received by the regional presiding officer at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the designated time of trial.

1. If the regional presiding officer finds the reason to be valid, he or she shall reschedule the trial and notify the accused minister and others involved. After he or she resets the place, date, and time, he or she shall reissue the summons.

2. If the regional presiding officer determines that the reason given by the accused minister is not valid, he or she shall notify the minister that the trial is still scheduled at the originally designated time, and the minister shall appear at the trial.

3. If an emergency prevents the accused minister from attending (see Article I, Section 3, Paragraph 1), the accused minister shall obtain two (2) unbiased ordained ministers as witnesses to the emergency. In this case, the hearing shall be rescheduled.

4. An accused minister who fails to appear at a scheduled trial shall forfeit his or her license or credentials without right of appeal.

Section 6.Counselors.

1. The accused minister and the District Board shall both be allowed to have one (1) or two (2) counselors to assist and advise them during the trial proceedings.

2. The accused minister shall notify the regional presiding officer in writing of the names of his or her counselors at least five (5) days before the date of the trial. Failure to notify the regional presiding officer in this manner may cause the accused minister to forfeit his or her right to counselors during the trial.

3. The District Superintendent shall notify the regional presiding officer in writ­ing of the names of the person who will represent the District Board at the trial (the district representative) and the counselors for the District Board at least five (5) days before the date of the trial. Failure to notify the regional presid­ing officer in this manner may cause the District Board to forfeit its right to counselors during the trial.

Section 7.
The regional presiding officer shall appoint an ordained minister from the region to serve as recording secretary for the trial. The recording secretary shall not be a member of the District Board that referred the case to trial.

The above is part of the judicial procedure of the United Pentecostal Church International and is provided for informational purposes.

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